Graduate and Professional Programs

M.A. and Ph.D., Anthropology

The Anthropology Department offers classes leading to the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees. There are several options for the M.A., but the Ph.D. degree concentration currently is available only in archaeology. 

The Anthropology M.A. program

The M.A. provides students with the necessary theoretical and technical background for pursuing professional careers or continuing graduate studies at the doctoral level. The program emphasizes the development of analytical and writing skills in all areas of course work.

Admission to the M.A. Program. Candidates for admission to the M.A. program must hold either (1) a Bachelor’s degree in anthropology or archaeology; or (2) a Bachelor’s degree in another subject with significant course work in anthropology or another social science. Candidates without this background may apply to receive conditional admission to the M.A. program. Applicants for admission should have a minimum grade point average of 3.0. Applicants with GPAs lower than 3.0 may be admitted on probation at the discretion of the faculty. Applicants must submit scores from the General tests of the Graduate Record Examination. Students may be admitted to study for the M.A. degree alone. Candidates are encouraged to apply for Graduate Assistantships that provide full tuition and a stipend.

General M.A. Requirements. For M.A. students who write theses, the program entails 30 credit hours, including six hours of thesis work. The non-thesis option entails 36 hours of course work. Candidates who select this option must complete the specified 24 hours of course work plus an additional 12 credit hours of classes selected in consultation with the graduate advisor.

All M.A. students are expected to develop field research skills through participation in the department’s ongoing research programs. There is no formal language requirement for the M.A. degree. Students, however, will consult with their advisors regarding the development of pertinent linguistic or computer skills that may be necessary for their thesis research and analysis. Students are reminded that most Ph.D. programs and many research positions requite proficiency in one or more foreign languages.

M.A. Curriculum Requirements. Students focus on one of three tracks: archaeology, cultural anthropology, and Native American studies. In each track, the M.A. degree requires either (1) 30 credit hours of coursework, plus a thesis; or (2) 36 hours of coursework, without a thesis.

A joint M.A. / J.D. degree may be obtained in cooperation with the Law School. Candidates must be admitted both to the Graduate program in Anthropology and to the Law School. Both sets of curriculum requirements must be satisfied, although each will be reduced. The Anthropology portion of the joint degree may consist of any of the three tracks mentioned above. This option is available only at the M.A. level. Interested candidates should contact the Anthropology Graduate Advisor.

The Anthropology Ph.D. Program, with Archaeology concentration

 The Ph.D. program offers concentration only in archaeology. It emphasizes a sound understanding of archaeological science, inter-disciplinary training and the development of practical skills applicable to both pure and applied research. Rather than dichotomizing pure and applied approaches to archaeological research, the program melds the two within the basic tenets of archaeological science.

The discipline of archaeology has undergone marked changes over the last three decades with a steady decline in traditional university faculty positions balanced by a dramatic growth in applied archaeology/cultural resource management (CRM) employment. Applied positions are broadly distributed within government and private sectors. Recent surveys show 60-70% of the Society for American Archaeology membership belongs to the applied sector and 80% of all archaeology undertaken in North America is related to applied research.

Accordingly, the Ph.D. program is designed to integrate experiences and perspectives of applied research throughout the curriculum. That curriculum provides the strong theoretical and methodological training typical of the best traditional academic programs while exposing all students to the skills necessary to conduct applied research. In this way, the Ph.D. curriculum prepares students for either applied or academic positions upon graduation.

Admission to the Ph.D. program. Candidates for admission to the Ph.D. program should hold a Master’s degree in either (1) anthropology, with a concentration in archaeology; or (2) museum studies. Candidates with degrees in other fields may be admitted at the discretion of the faculty. Additional archaeology coursework may be required. Applicants for admission should have a minimum grade point average of 3.5. Applicants with GPAs lower than 3.5 may be admitted on probation at the discretion of the faculty. Applicants must submit scores from the General tests of the Graduate Record Examination. Candidates are encouraged to apply for Graduate Assistantships that provide full tuition and a stipend.

Students who enter the Ph.D. program with a Bachelor’s degree must complete the M.A. course work described above, and they must sit for a comprehensive written examination. The comprehensive examination normally will be taken near the end of the second semester of residence. Those passing the exam will move forward into the Ph.D. program. Those failing twice to pass the exam will receive a terminal M.A. degree.

Students holding an M.A. from another institution must pass the comprehensive examination described above. At the discretion of the faculty, they may be required to do additional course work at the M.A. level before sitting for the comprehensive examination.

Ph.D. Curriculum Requirements. The Ph.D. degree requires completion of a minimum of 72 hours of course work beyond the Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 42 hours beyond the Master’s degree. There is no formal language requirement, although students are strongly encouraged to acquire linguistic competence appropriate to their areas of specialization. Students are required to obtain computer and GIS skills through their coursework.

For additional Admission and Financial Aid information visit the University of Tulsa Graduate School.